PRINCE CASPIAN AND THE LOST PRINCESS
by princecasp-princessrelle2012
Summary: Rapunzel only ever dreamed of leaving her high up tower to explore the outside world she's been forbidden to step foot in. Prince Caspian the tenth is the destined-to-be ruler of Narnia. Together the two embark on an adventure and grow from the experiences they share as they fight side by side to reclaim Caspian's throne and figure out just exactly who Rapunzel is.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _We own no rights to "Prince Caspian" C.S Lewis works, or "Tangled" movie production, we are simply fans being creative and sharing our perspective of what's possible within the minds and imagination of two individuals who love writing_*

Like you all, we both have no clue where this story will go and how it will end, it's pretty much a free write if nothing else, but without further chit chat blabbing on my end, please review and enjoy the Prince Caspian Tangled story mash up.

**-Writer behind Caspian's voice**.

PRINCE CASPIAN AND THE LOST PRINCESS

**Chapter 1**

_[Rapunzel's POV:]_

As I got older with each and every single passing year, more and more I wondered what was so terrible about the outside world that Mother would forever fight to keep me safeguarded against. Every year my curiosity grew, and despite the dangers she'd lectured me about from very early on in life, I began to grow restless more and more when she got to come and go as she pleased and I was left alone…sometimes for weeks and weeks on end.

I wondered as my brush took to the parchment set up on an easel before me, if the sun I painted in the portrait before me felt hotter on the bare skin when you stood down on the grass. I knew exactly how to paint it, ray for ray I'd studied the way it shone down and reflected off each blade of grass from the perch on my windowsill. I knew the way it reflected off the water stream that veered off to the left of my home: the tower. I knew the way it looked reflecting in the black eyes of the birds that flew on past my window…yet most times I could only reach out and let it bathe my arms in its hues if I so wished it to. There were a couple hours on brilliantly sunny days where my entire window would be bathed in the sun's reflective waves. Sometimes I sat there and let myself go all but blind in the direct rays…and desperately I'd close my eyes and try to envision how it would feel to be stepping lively upon the beds of grass down below but to no avail. Would the sun be hotter there? Would it look different leagues below me as opposed to how I saw it from my high up vantage point? I wondered if I'd paint it differently…if I could just go outside?

_Outside._

My paintbrush with brilliant yellow dunked into its silky fibres hesitated on the parchment, and with a sigh I lowered my brush and took a deep, long breath before looking slowly all around me. I'd read all my books, [sometimes more than ten times over if I really liked them] I'd painted up every stitch of space in this tower, I'd sewn every bright and cheery curtain and every inch of the clothing for myself that now snugly fit against my own body. I'd kept myself so busy throughout the years studying and painting the stars…and those mysteriously lights I saw in my dreams always around the time of my birthday, I'd painted those numerous times too – but I always hid those paintings from Mother because I instinctively knew they'd upset her.

I was…really at my wits end. Every time I tried to bring up the outside world and how I yearned to discover it with her, she'd present a heated debate about how it wasn't safe, that there were those that would try to cut my hair off like they'd tried to do when I was a baby, that people would do unspeakable things to me because of what I could do…that it just wasn't safe for me, and the only place that WAS safe, was in this tower locked away with her for eternity and all time.

I'd often passively asked her about the characters in the books I read; the oftimes chivalrous men that were depicted there, I was especially curious about them because obviously, I'd never seen a man before with my own two eyes. She often warned me that men were nothing more than vicious animals, that they were monsters NEVER to be trusted. Books were fanciful, she'd say, they weren't true – men were beasts, and I should never trust what a silly book had to say about any of them. She was so earnest about when she spoke of men, I knew she could only be telling the truth. Besides, what reason did she have to lie to me…she was my Mother and I knew she loved me and was only doing what she thought was best for me.

But I knew soon her love wouldn't be enough to keep me here. I was now eighteen, or I would become the eve of tomorrow night…and suddenly I knew I couldn't keep the visions in my dreams from her forever. And now I was beginning to think…what _if_ she knew about my dreams? What if she knew how important it was to me to find the place where the lights were? Maybe…then just _maybe_, she'd take me on those journeys with her to the outside world. What did I have to lose in asking her?

Everything…apparently.

She burst into the room just then with a zealous air and smiled widely at me…could it be she actually remembered my birthday this year?

"Rapunzel I'm leaving."

The words were out of her mouth before I had time to set my hopes too high…but as to my courage to ask her to go outside, well it hadn't completely vanished yet – I knew I needed to jump on it before I lost all my bravery and stayed silent about my desires as I always did.

"Mother…I'm sure you know what day it is tomorrow." I broached with a forced merry chuckle as I slowly put down my paintbrush and started to absently rub away at the dyed paints that now stained my fingertips.

She seemed annoyed I'd interrupted her and I noticed she already had on her black, mahogany-lined cloak that she always adorned when going on a long trip. She rolled her eyes and answered tersely, "Well I'm SURE it will be just like the day after that, and then that…and then _that,_ Rapunzel."

"I…" I tried to interject but she cut me off in exasperation,

"Really Dear, I'm a busy woman and I have got to get going – you know I hate when you mumble and natter on and on and on!"

She stared at me blankly then and suddenly I had a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about all this, however despite my foreboding, I stood and with wavering words, continued on, "No Mother, actually tomorrow is my _birthday_ – ta daaaaaa!" I tried to end on a light note, but when all she did was wait for me to go on without a word, I sighed and walked a little closer to her, "I know I probably don't deserve much…"

She chortled at that, and I flinched outwardly but continued on nevertheless, "You go through a lot…to keep me safe and sound…and I know that. But more than anything Mother, for my birthday this year…I just…"

Fire flicked in her eyes as she bit out her words, "Out with it Rapunzel!"

I all but stamped my foot as I then got it all out in one full rush, "I want to go see the lights! Every year around my birthday I have these dreams…well, they ARE dreams but I KNOW they're real. Dreams of lights that rise in the sky for my birthday and I just KNOW they are for me, for my birthday each and every year…and I need to go find them Mother. I need to go outside!"

I waited expectantly and eyed her features with barely contained excitement. Finally I got it out there, I told her my deepest desires and secrets…she couldn't forbid me this now, could she?

She seemed frozen for a couple moments, eying me warily before she let out a little laugh and waved a dismissive hand at me, "Rapunzel don't be ridiculous…you know how dangerous it is out there for you!"

Then she turned on her heel and started to walk away from me, forcing me to follow behind her as I protested, "But Mother, you can't expect me to stay here forever!"

"I _can_ Dear…especially when staying here means you will be kept safe and sound, away from the world that would do you harm."

"But Mother, that's not fair! I-" Suddenly she spun around to face me again, and I hadn't realized how enraged my words had made her until I felt the full force of her back-hand against my cheek. Spiraling backwards, I hit the floor in a violent heap of limbs and golden hair, my world spun as I instinctively went to cradle my throbbing face in complete shock. Absently I scraped my tongue against the inside of my cheek and tasted blood from where my teeth had dug into my flesh there.

Then her murderous, bloodless face was set close before my spinning, tearing eyes, and her screaming came to me as if from another planet…it echoed all funny in my ears, but I heard it all the same, "I FORBID IT RAPUNZEL! YOU HEAR ME? _FORBID_ IT! YOU ARE NEVER…_EVER_…LEAVING THIS TOWER! EVER!"

I cried out when I felt her hands grip my shoulders and she gave me a violent, bruising shake, "NOW TELL ME WHEN I RETURN, THERE WILL BE _NO_ TALK OF THESE SILLY LIGHTS AND GOING OUTSIDE…" When I hesitated she shook me again until finally I managed to get out between wracking sobs for air, "I…I promise Mother. I promise!"

She glared at me and I flinched, waiting for the next blow…but it didn't come. Curtly she nodded and stood back to her full height, leaving me there on the floor by myself. I looked at her as she dusted her cloak off and fixed her hair. She gave me one last look full of wrath and agony at the same time, "Now see what you've made me do Pet?"

A stab of guilt tore through me, even if I was the one with blood dripping from the corner of my mouth as she walked away, calling behind her in a sing-song voice as if nothing had happened at all, "I will be back in a fortnight…now hurry, I need you to let me out. Hurry hurry! Mother has a very strict schedule she needs to uphold!"

She'd never hit me before. That's how much my talk of the lights and leaving caused anger in her. I could only blame myself and for the first couple days after I celebrated my birthday alone in my tower, I felt terribly for what I'd made her do to me. But as the days wore thinly onward…I could only feel resentment rising up in me, no matter how much I tried to distract myself from what she'd irreversibly done. However these last few days after she'd left had been strange ones indeed, to me the forest just…felt different. I wasn't sure what it was or how to even describe it, but every day of my life I'd woken and stared out my window at some point in the day, and everyday I got the same feeling from the meadows and the woods around me – but since my Mother left, things felt…well different: off…somehow. And yesterday just before complete darkness had taken over the land, I swore I'd heard what sounded like a horn reverberating through the land, but by the time I'd raced to my window, the sound had disappeared completely and no other such noise had followed in its wake, which made me later think I'd imagined the noise altogether.

I was about to come to the conclusion for my own peace of mind that the forest seemed different just because I'd had a very trying last couple days where I'd spent the majority of my time completely torn and sobbing on my bed in my room, when a strange noise came from just beyond my tower window. I stiffened and all hazy thoughts came to a stand still as my head all but jerked to where my window lay wide open to let in the afternoon sun, and still as a statue I listened intently for the noise I couldn't describe once again.

It took a moment or two, but there! There it was again! A strange rustling…or was that a whisper? A murmur of sorts?...

I got up slowly and with unhurried steps, made my way to the tower window that stood open to allow the brilliant sunshine of midday to filter in and warm the icy cool stones that made up my tall home. Was it Mother returned home early from her trip to the outside world? But no…she'd only just left a short time ago, and she'd said she wouldn't be back for a good long while.

So it couldn't be Mother, besides she never made such noises when she came back home, the only thing that ever alerted me to her presence was her voice calling out to me.

But then…what was it?

Hesitantly I leaned out the window and intently scanned the grassy meadowlands below me. My vantage point was a grand one, being so high up and all, and yet I saw nothing out of the ordinary. If anything now it just seemed…eerily quiet, as if all the birds had at once stopped chirping and the wind had even stopped whispering through the trees, telling me their stories like they sometimes liked to do.

Everything was just…_too_ quiet.

But then suddenly a bird alighted swiftly on my windowpane, causing me to jump slightly before I shook off my nerves and laughed aloud at myself. The sound of my laughter created a melodic tune to fill the quietude around me and I shook my head at the tiny bird that looked at me very curiously now, "Little Songstress, was it you whispering words of nothingness into my ear just now?" I spoke to the tiny wren playfully, and at once it gave an indignant shrill cry before jumping off the pane and soaring ever higher and further off and away into the afternoon skies.

I jumped after it and landed unceremoniously seated right upon my windowpane, half out the window, half still inside as I reached a hand out to the wren – though I knew I had no hope in catching it. I felt my long, golden tresses that trailed on the carpeted floors within the tower catching and tugging on various objects that'd been in my path from the easel to the window, but I paid the slight tugging sensations on my scalp no mind as I watched the bird take to urgent flight, "Wait! Wait!-" I cried out after it, but when it insisted on creating further distance between us, I could only watch it leave. Yearning shone in my emerald green eyes as I sighed outwardly and leaned heavily against the side of the windowpane, I found myself whispering forlornly to the retreating bird that was now nothing more than a black dot against the azure blue skies backdrop, "Why…why can I not fly out and join you?"

_[Caspian's POV:]_

I opened my eyes like a flash once I felt something be placed over my mouth. Upon noticing it was only the professor's hand my breathing had calmed and my body moved from under his large fingers turning to take to rest once more.

"Five more minutes" I groaned before pulling the blankets over my shoulder.

"Won't be watching the stars tonight, my prince" His voice He hadn't sounded like the calm old man that I had come to know so well. These words caused me to turn to look at him.

"Come, we must hurry" the covers were thrown from my form and I was taken from my bed to my closet in a matter of seconds as the professor carelessly grabbed clothes from it throwing them in my direction. My heart had begun to beat more and more with a steady fear that was rising within me as my eyes ran over his frantic form cloaked in a motion of darkness. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. "Professor what's going on?" I finally made my lips to say dressing myself swiftly.

"Your aunt has given birth to a son" He turned to me before grabbing onto my arm.

"Come…"

We had rushed through the great halls. Catching sight of the paintings upon the long walls, I took in a final glimpse of the old kings. There on the last portrait, my father one of the greatest kings to rule, I believed sat there in all its greatness forever to be remembered by his people whom had missed the king as much as I had. As the remembrance of his death cast upon my thoughts, some type of emptiness rested within my being, helplessness, causing me to realize that I would never see him again, neither my dear mother, nor possibly the place in which I had grown up as a boy, my home that I was being forced to leave as if I had been some tyrant.

"_You must make for the woods"_ said the professor helping me with the last of my armor as we both walked quickly towards the barn where the horses were held, the dirt path just beginning.

"The woods?" my cautiously spoken words recalling the stories he used to tell me about the green lands beyond.

"They won't follow you there" He said reassuringly. We both had stopped just before the path, and there was a silence before I had conjured up words.

"Will I ever see you again?" I asked softly. The professor with a bit of faith in his eyes just beyond the small circled glasses that sat just at the bridge of his nose grinned ever so easy.

"I dearly hope so, my prince, there is much more I mean to tell you" I looked to his eyes, studying them, searching for what exactly he could have meant.

"Everything you know is about to change…, now go"

Once I had readied my horse the celebration beyond the Barn had begun. Now it was known to the whole kingdom of the birth of my aunt's son, the very son that was meant to take my place on the thrown. I took to my steed and with the rains to his back and a kick at his side we were off heading for the gate.

"_Close the drawbridge_!"

Turning to see that a guard above had spotted my attempt at escape the large steal was descending on command. Holding on to the rains tightly as the speed of my horse heightened I went past a guard calling out to me to stop. Once from under the gate the sound of the riders could be heard. I threw a look over my shoulder only to find that they were not far behind me. Determination set in me then, and making it to the forest was now my only hope of survival. For all my heartbreak nothing had mattered to me now but how scared I had been and how much I wished to escape, everything seeming so real. I wanted to see the professor again, see my father's kingdom. There were too many memories there that couldn't be lost, that I wouldn't allow to be forgotten. Somehow I would return, if not to reclaim my thrown one day then at least to see the Professor. Just once more. Since the death of my father he had been my only real confidant, I would miss him greatly.

As I approached the Forrest I could hear the solders, and turning to see them from behind, their horses were being pulled back to a halt as my own sped on into the woods ahead from the river. The professor in all his wisdom had been right. They did not follow, and I did not stop until I had ventured so deeply within the forbidden realm that soon my own horse threw me from its back and I was completely alone. Taking to my feet in a struggle I looked around as the mist took me and cast a veil of doubt over my eyes. I was certain that I would die here, I had become dizzy suddenly and my head grew heavy. Soon the sensation of blindness over powered my ability to see and with one more breath I had surrendered myself to blackness.

"_I'll just get him some soup, he should be coming around soon"_

The sounds of unfamiliar voices had rose and as my eyes opened, slowly by my degree I had awoken to bondage. My hands and legs were both set it firm ties of braided rope as the voices around me seemed to continue with conversation.

"_I don't think I hit him hard enough_" once those words were said a sudden rush of pain had came over me. My head was in all kinds of ace and I allowed from my lips a careless moan wishing that I could place a finger on my crown in attempt to possibly end my pain.

"_Nikabrik, he's just a boy"_ the first voice I had heard called out.

"_He's a talmarine, not some lost puppy, you said you were gonna get rid of him"_ I swallowed hard, a fear taking hold hearing the other voice.

"_No, I said I'd take care of him, we can't kill him now I just bandaged his head. It would be like murdering a guest-_"

This was mad, I had to escape somehow. I looked around for something, anything that could free me. That's when the claw caught my attention right above where I had been laying. I went to raise my hands praying that the point was sharp enough to cut through. A breath of relief escaped my body once I saw that the rope was separating which only made me work promptly.

"How do you think his friends are treating there guest?"

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing. It's not the boy's fault"

Suddenly the voices had stopped and I took to the laying space swiftly closing my eyes in hopes that they hadn't noticed me. The ground had given off the stomp of rather large feet and the same fear rose within me for the second time when they grew louder. They were coming towards me. I wanted to breathe but I couldn't. Opening my eyes partially I saw it, a creature holding a bowel over my head.

"Stop stop, hold it, no no please!" I shouted sitting up so quickly that the bowel had been knocked to the ground with my efforts.

"I told you we should have killed him when we had the chance"

"You know why we can't"

"We can't let him go he's seen us"

"That's enough, Nikabrik! Or do I have to sit on your head again?"

As the two argued I made myself busy with freeing my feet from the rope that was hidden under the sheet that had covered me.

"And you…" I froze as the creature pointed a small claw in my direction.

"Look what you made me do I spent half the morning on that soup" My eyes trailed to the floor seeing the contents.

"Soup?" I thought silently taken back after thinking it had been something concocted to burn off my face with. Taking my eyes back towards the creature standing there I placed a hand on my head to make sure I wasn't dreaming

"What are you?" I had questioned momentarily.

"You know, it's funny that you'd ask that, you think people would know a badger when they saw one"

"No. No I mean… your Narnians" I made a point to look between the two of them.

"You're supposed to be extinct-" I hadn't meant for it to come out as harshly as it had sounded at first, but it had been the only truth that I had known. Upon my Uncles place on the thrown the magical lands of Narnia were forbidden to be spoken of in the halls of the Castle. It had only been by the Professors teaching that I had come to know of the creatures within the deep forest. They were only supposed to be in fairytales, but now I could see with my very own eyes that everything he had told me of these talking beasts had been just as real as I.

"Sorry to disappoint you" The one that had been called Nikabrik by the badger stated with a fold of his arms.

Once I was handed a bowel I sat up more to retain a good grip.

"There you are still hot…" It had seemed that the Badger had made a second serving for me.

Nikabrik (whom I now realized was a dwarf of some sort) looked over at me in a huff. "Since when did we open a boarding house for Talmarine soldiers?"

My eyes detached from the bowel before even allowing my hunger pains that were surfacing a taste. "I am not a soldier. I am Prince Caspian the tenth" I corrected immediately.

"What are you doing here?" asked the Badger, cleaning up the first helping of food that had knocked to the floor.

"Running away" I looked past the steaming bowel to the sheets across me, an anger starting to rise. "My uncle has always wanted my thrown"

"Means we don't have to kill you ourselves…"

"Your right…" Placing the bowel aside I stood and grabbed the rest of my things which I had noticed in the corner of the hut sometime before the Dwarfs words hit me with a sting.

"Where are you going?" I wasn't sure who asked this, but still I answered without looking back. "My uncle won't stop until I'm dead…" and with that I had left my saviors behind.

The area beyond the hut in which I had been placed by the talking animal and his companion was unknown to me and with no horse I would have to travel on foot. However, I had debated with my own judgment whether staying and waiting for a death to arrive was much worse than meeting it with a fight. I did not know where my feet would take me, but ever still did I press on. I was certain that my uncle would place such a fear in the minds of the soldiers when they told him of their failure to enter the forest after me, that by this time they would be approaching again with their swords ready to cut me through and stain there blades with my blood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

_[Rapunzel's POV:]_

The moment she'd struck me, something inside me had died…but something inside me had also been born as well. Changed, altered, mixed around…however you wanted to shape it, it was still undeniable that something inside me had clicked the moment her palm had struck against my cheekbone. I realized I'd always lived in constant dread and fear over what Mother would think, or what she would do if she knew about my visions of the strange lights in the sky on my birthday – now I knew for better or worse, and now more than ever I knew my life had to change…and that moment for change, was _now_.

Little did I know much sooner rather than later, my life was about to change more than I could've ever predicted.

I yearned to go into the outside world more than ever now, this much was true. I knew there was more to life than being stuck in a tower for all time. Mother told me how terrible the outside world was, how wicked and evil both men and women were, but I knew I'd never learn about these things unless I discovered them for myself. It was one thing though to know in my mind what I must do and another completely to act on it. I found myself shaking as I stood by my tower window, aching to take the plunge down to the green grass and yet I was scared to do so; it was territory not yet tread on, and I felt as if the moment I stepped foot down on the naked earth, it might swallow me whole and never spit me back out again.

'_Come on Zelle! You can do it…Mother's not due back for weeks still! Just go outside…baby steps…swing yourself down there, she never has to know!…it will be a piece of cake…you'll see…just do it….'_ I tried to pressure myself into it as I gazed unseeingly at the lands below me until knots twisted in my stomach and I had to turn away. I was a coward. A complete and utter coward who'd never take a chance to take the adventure I knew I was destined to take…

Exhausted, I skipped out on my self-made schedule for the next couple hours: reading, sewing a new dress, and cleaning the kitchen for the second time that day to simply take a nap instead. In my lucid dreams I heard that strange noise echoing to me of earlier…over and over again like a haunting lullaby, a premonition of things to come. When I woke it was to jolt upright with lightning speed in my bed fit for a Queen with a wildly beating heart - yet I didn't know why. But then I heard it…footsteps. But not Mother's footsteps, no, those I knew off by heart. These sounded heavier, as if their shoes weighed a ton or…maybe they just weighed more than Mother or myself…

Then it clicked. I wasn't alone any longer.

I flew out of bed as quickly but as stealthily as possible, just trying to keep myself under control as I took to the shadows and trained my ears past my room to where I'd heard the noise deeper in the tower…closer to where the lone tower window was that I'd left wide open…

I had little to no time to react. My heart was up in my throat as I heard the hesitant but sure footsteps coming closer. On tip toe I fled to the deepest shadows just on the other side of the entrance, my palms sweaty and my jungle green eyes wide as saucers when it was all but apparent by the tall, luminous shadow that suddenly flooded into my room that my ears hadn't been deceiving me. I panicked. The moment the mystery shadow crossed into the room, I grabbed swiftly the closest object to me…which happened to be a heavy clay vase I'd made myself. The intruder had moved past me, and it seemed they hadn't seen me yet…but when I saw where their focus was, and that was on my long train of brilliant blonde hair that lay partially still on my mussed bed all the way to where I was hidden in the shadows, I silently stepped forth and with all my might cracked the vase atop the head of the being that wasn't my Mother in any shape or form. Frozen with a broken piece of jagged clay still clutched in my hand, I watched as the figure crumpled to the floor in the next moment that followed my strike.

I was frozen for precious seconds, then I gave in to a little squeal of fright as I flew to the shadows again to try and figure out what to do. I found myself on the opposite side of my bed on the floor, my back resting against the side of the bed as I drew my knee's up to my chest and held my head in my hands, my fists knotting at my golden tresses against my scalp as I rocked my body back and forth to try and calm my racing nerves.

They were here for my hair. I just KNEW it. Mother had warned me of all those out there that were trying to find me and FINALLY someone had done it. They'd FOUND me – and there was no telling what they'd do now…

Well that decided it. I wasn't going to be the victim…no matter how scared I might be, I had to take charge of this situation…and take charge I would!

I knew exactly what I had to do. Survival mode kicked in with full force as I dredged up the courage to act.

I was expecting a monster as I slowly got up, dusted my dress off, and with sweaty palms started to approach the completely unconscious figure. Not only was this an intruder…but I realized now that it was a MAN, I was convinced of this fact simply because of his tall stature and broad shoulders that I'd only caught a glimpse of before I'd struck him down. Mother had told me all about men, how they had sharp, pointed teeth and were vicious beasts – especially to women or those weaker than them. They weren't to be trusted under any circumstances…she'd ingrained this into me since I was old enough to ask any questions at all about the opposite sex or life in general.

I hastily snatched up a poker stick from the fireplace and crept closer to him, only daring to come within a couple feet of him at first. When I was certain he wasn't moving, I leaned in to try and get a better look, only to realize his thick, dark hair was completely covering his face. With a shaking hand I reached out with the poker stick and caught some of those dark locks with the edge of the iron instrument and quickly flipped the chestnut strands back up and away from his features. Instantly I found myself staring at the slightly bronzed features of a strikingly young man…I knew just by looking at him that he mustn't have been much older than myself.

Suddenly my heart did a very strange flip flop, and almost in a complete trance I gazed in absolute fascination at him. I'd seen pictures of men sure, but usually they were illustrated sketches in novels Mother had allowed me to read – other than that, everything had come from my imagination when I thought of them. Mother had painted such a grotesque picture in my minds eye of hairy, fat, ugly beasts with claws and vile features…but this man for all appearances sake didn't match what I'd thought a man would look like at all. In disbelief I took the edge of the poker and wedged it gently against the crevice of his mouth and slowly lifted his upper lip, then all at once, I gasped at what I saw there: perfect white teeth, not unlike my own…definitely no fangs on this one…

Was he just a monster in disguise?

Well I still knew I couldn't trust him no matter what. I knew why he was here and that was to get at my hair – and I wouldn't allow it. I had to protect myself, and no matter how surprised I was at his…_appearance_, he was still the enemy – and he was still a vicious beast…maybe just on the INSIDE more than the OUTSIDE, and I now had to work fast before he woke and realized what I'd done.

In no time flat I had him bound and trussed up in the sturdiest chair I could think of that existed in my home, and that was the large sofa chair that even I had a hard time inching over to the center of the main room where the window stood. Then it was a chore to get him actually IN the chair – he didn't look like he weighed much, but by the time I was done sweat perforated my brow that I had to hastily wipe away. When I realized I had nothing to secure him with, I knew what I had to do – my hair would be stronger than rope anyways. Round and round I tightly wound my tresses of hair – around his waist, his elbows, his wrists, and finally his ankles. Then hastily I scrambled up into the rafters, well out of view for when he woke up…and it wasn't long after that when I saw the first signs of life coming about him.

All the bravery I'd mustered, all the courage I'd dug deep for fled out the tower window when I knew I'd have to soon face one of my absolute fears…and Mother wasn't even here to help me!

_Not that I needed her help…_of this I nimbly reminded myself as I remained still as a statue from high above, and watched as he started to struggle against the tight confines that were my long, thick tresses of hair. I knew it was now or never, and first impressions were everything.

"Struggling…i-is…_pointless!_" I stammered out loudly before closing my eyes for a moment and swallowing thickly past my very dry throat when I realized my fear had definitely showed through in the tone of my voice. I called out down below to him a bit clearer the second time around when it seemed he was taking my advice by becoming more still, "Who are you? And HOW did you find me?" My voice shook with barely controlled rage now as I let myself realize this man had come here to hurt me. He'd come here to cut my hair and try to use it for himself. I still wasn't sure what I'd do about him or if I'd even make my physical presence known to him at all, it was probably best he never discover what I really looked like. I realized then that my actions all would depend on how he chose to answer my demands right then and there…then I'd see what course of action to carefully take next.

_[Caspian's POV:]_

Cautious I was always cautious, so much so that when I did pass along the trail I traveled things that looked edible and safe were still forbidden. It had been almost two days and my stomach was in such shambles I believed myself becoming ill. I had regretted now storming out the way I had, and more than anything for not partaking in eating of the soup that had been prepared for me in the first place. I had busied myself with coming to a conclusion on how a badger was even able to talk let alone cook for that matter and in doing so I had disregarded my hunger. The gash on my head had healed some but I was still getting harsh headaches, then again that could have been because of my lack of food and water. I wasn't entirely sure. There had to have been something, anything I could eat. Stopping my walk I patted my sides. The bag that had rested there, I forgot had even existed. Finally breaking my pride and rummaging through, I had high hopes that perhaps the professor slipped in some food by mistake, never had I checked. Suddenly my hand had caught on to something. It was long it seemed and a bit hard. But hard bread I could manage if it would calm the pains in my stomach. Swiftly I pulled my full hand from the bag. Not bread but a horn was held in my grip. I was sure the disappointment littered my features. Soon a gasp had escaped from somewhere and I turned to both the Dwarf and the badger walking up behind me.

"_Where did you get that from"_ asked the small knee high creature.

"I had a feeling that I was being followed" I uttered more to myself then them.

"Sorry but you can't just leave, you were meant to save us young prince and for that reason you have become a great value" Declared the badger having heard me.

My eyes roamed over the golden carvings that decorated the strong wood "Do you know what this is?" I asked curiously looking between them.

"You do not know of Queen Susan's horn, that horn that you hold is said to be magic" said the badger as we all began walking.

"Magic?" I questioned again looking back at the horn.

"Us Narnian's believed it could summon the kings and queens of old" Nikabrik finally spoke, his tone just as cold as the first time we had met.

"Where did you get this prince Caspian?" the badger asked as he approached me.

"Not sure, perhaps from the-"I stopped mid sentence thinking for a moment.

"I propose us to just wait for the kings and queens…" Nikabrik grumbled.

The dwarf didn't seem to found of me, and which under different circumstances I truly couldn't blame him. My race after all had almost completely wiped his and all the other Narnians out. I understood his hate for me and I would not argue against that, even though I myself had not brought such destruction and loss of hope.

"Fine! Go then! See if the others will be as understanding!" The badger yelled. "Or maybe I'll come with you-"I looked to him as he was in a way fixed on continuing his rant. The two of them seemed to engage themselves in more arguments then I could keep track of. I wasn't inclined to listening to the bickering but they had followed me after all and I had no right to the forest to order them not to. Even through all there back and fourths, company no matter how bothersome was better than being completely alone.

"I want to see you explain things to the Minotaur's"

"Minotaur's, There real?" I asked bringing myself into the dispute.

"And very bad tempered" The badger noted.

"What about centaurs do they still exist? All these things I had only heard about, but never in my days of life thought I'd come close to seeing with my own eyes.

"Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side, but there's no telling what the others will do"

"What about Aslan-"

Nikabrik had stopped causing myself and the badger to do the same. "How do you know so much about us?" He asked folding his small arms over his chest. I guess my question may have upset him?

"Stories" I admitted.

"Wait a minute, your father told you stories about Narnia?" the badger asked tugging on my sleeve as I willingly handed him Queen Susan's horn that he had seemed to be admiring since he saw it.

"No, my professor, he…" I let my head lower. It was hard to think of him, to even speak of him. I was worried. What if my uncle had found out that he helped me escape the night his son was born? What fate would be in store for him?

"Listen, I'm sorry. These are not the kind of questions you should be asking" Nikabrik made himself to continue until he stopped again.

"What is it?" the badger called out from beside me.

"Human?"

"Him?" The badger pointed up at me.

"No, them!"

I looked over my shoulder to see the Talmar soldiers all about the forest with their arrows pointed in our direction. My heart started beating so rapidly that I gripped the hilt of my sword. Not sure if I should draw it or push it back and get ready to-

"_There they are!" _

"Run!" I shouted taking off in a dash. I heard a command be given from behind and soon a rain of arrows shot out after our escape. Early training that I had hated but was most thankful for now kept my speed up and I was pretty good at dodging the arrows. Then I heard a cry and looked back to see that the badger had been hit. "Oh no!" Yelled the Dwarf making himself ready to recover his fallen friend. I quickly stopped him. "Wait I'll go…" I knew I would be faster, my legs were longer and my step quicker.

I had turned back as swiftly as I could and ran over to the creature.

"Take it, it's more important than I am" He urged raising the horn in my direction.

I looked ahead to see that the soldiers were approaching promptly. I took from him the horn and picked him up placing him over my shoulder as I turned into a run. Once I made it to Nikabrik and placed the badger over his shoulder with the horn still in my hand I drew my sword.

"Get him out of here…"

As fatigued as I had been from the constant running and traveling I had to distract the soldiers long enough for the two Narnians to make it to safety. In their own way they had been kind, and without their aid I may have died that first night in the forest. I looked down at the horn and placed it to my lips elating a Powerful sound from the end. A solider came at me so quickly that the horn was displaced from my lips and once our swords clashed the fight had begun. With my hand taking a swift left I was able to cut the first solider down, my feet trailing backwards as the second came at me with much more strength and force.

I hadn't seen the first come my way in time to avoid impact with my face from a third solider. It was a strong enough hit to cause my sword to fall from my grip and then a kick to my left leg was what brought me down as my body slid upon a patch of wet shrub and tumbled down a steep mound. I looked over my shoulder gazing upward at the trail that I had fallen down from. Seeing it now looked so far but my body was made to fill the after affects, acing all over.

A sudden pain surged through my being as I pushed up from my place on the ground (my mouth littered with dirt and grass). Realizing that I was lying over a sharp rock and placing my hand upon my side soon to notice a small imprint of blood that stained my palm I began searching around for the horn. It was nowhere in sight. Something else had occurred to me and frantically I stood and took off in a run with the footsteps in the distance not very far behind. My mouth was so dry that even swallowing became painful and now my head had began throbbing again. I was going to die and I knew it, my uncle would have his wish for there was no way in my injured state that I was going to be able to fight off all of those solders on my trail alone. But I just couldn't stop running. Strangely my legs wouldn't allow surrender.

Abruptly after another hop over a log I came to a stop. A very large tower stood in my direction, one that almost seemed out of place. I turned back to look beyond and though no bodies came into view within the many tree's, It was perhaps certain in my mind that they were not far behind. Fear pressed for me to continue and with speed. Once I was close enough I searched for some type of door, some entrance somewhere. There was no such thing to be found and I pressed my forhead against the cobble stone helplessly….

Then from the corner of my eye came a gleam. Blinking a few times I got up and without knowing why approached as the gleam got stronger.

"_A rope perhaps?"_ I thought and took it in my hand feeling the texture, a golden rope even! Drawing my hood over my head and with the last bit of strength I held within me I had begun to climb this rope.

About mid way I felt my muscles tighten, but that determination permitted my continued efforts and I made myself to climb again. Finally above I saw a window. It was open! Biting my lip I pushed up and with everything in my soul pulled myself through the opening.

When I stood up from the wooden floor I had fallen on I looked around. It was a small space with not very much in it. Perhaps it had been abandoned or maybe-

A sharp pain hit me from nowhere and before I could place a hand to my head my eyes trailed to the shattered particles around me, and I hit the floor.

I knew I had been bound again when none of my form with effort produced movement even without my eyes open to see this. The smell of jasmine was heavy on my senses as was the taste of blood on my tongue. I was almost in fear of opening my eyes. What would I see when I had? My uncle Miraz, and his ghastly grin perhaps? Or maybe even the edge of a blade waiting to cut off my head? It could have been anything.

"_Struggling i..is pointless!"_

My eyes flew open. I wasn't certain but I was sure I had just herd a woman's voice speak out to me. Groaning from the distress and the entire discomfort I looked down to see I was completely bound by….

The golden rope I had climbed upon just moments before?

Or I assumed it to be only moments that had passed, for all I knew it might have been days. I licked my lips trying to dampen the dryness. "Please" I called out as my voice cracked some. "I wish you no harm whoever you are" I looked around. There was only the voice of the woman but no women in sight, anywhere.

"_Who are you and how did you find me!" _

There it was again. She had to be close, possibly hidden from my sight for her safety. "I am Prince Caspian X of Telmar…" I finally said after having to debate rather I should revel to her who I was.

I shut my eyes tightly as the pain upon my side and in my head grew stronger by the moments that passed. "I don't know how I found this place" I went on to say. "I was running from some soldiers before I came here, they mean to kill me…I was only seeking safety from their intentions-" That pain came once more and I lowered my head, not sure if I should try talking anymore, in horror that the pain would hit me again.

_[Rapunzel's POV:]_

I set my sights straight ahead at one of the many bright, cheerful paintings that I personally had graced the tower walls with, the dying sunset over oceans vast wasn't the real focal point of my interest though, I saw it without seeing it as I desperately tried to compose myself. Really I was still just trying to get over the fact that there was a MAN…in my tower. I had a MAN…in my tower. I was convinced I'd caught him not a moment too soon, who knows what would've happened had I slept straight through his arrival!

But soon my fear gave way to sheer disoriented confusion when my demands were met with hearing his voice for the first time. First I marvelled over how different he sounded from myself…not a very deep voice but, deeper than I could ever reach in tone even if I tried. And the way he spoke…his accent! How funny, that he sounded so different from myself. But then I concentrated on what he was _barely_ able to tell me…and what he told me took a couple seconds to sink in, because it wasn't what I'd been expecting to hear at all.

First he said he meant me no harm, and I wasn't so naïve as to just believe him right off the bat…but there was just something in the quality of his voice that got to me instantly. He spoke so gently…and I could tell he was in pain, a lot of pain from the sounds of it. I winced a little as I began to suspect that I might be the cause for his suffering, but I knew I hadn't hit him THAT hard. I didn't have time to dwell on it as he said his name…Caspian. Prince…Caspian…of _Telmar_? A land I hadn't heard of to be sure! But thenhad Mother ever educated me about what the different lands might be called around the world?

No…she hadn't. I supposed she hadn't because she never wanted me to leave here, to what point or purpose would it serve her to teach me about different countries and places? To be sure I'd read books with different countries in them, but most were fanciful stories with made up places, or so I'd thought…maybe I was more backwards about things than I ever would've thought possible until now.

Telmar…I wondered if it was close to here, and if this one I'd so tightly bound with nothing but my hair…was _actually_ a prince there like he'd just claimed. I'd read many novels with princes and princesses, kings and queens, knights and fair maidens. Princes were always so noble, kind, righteous, and gentle in the stories I read. Mother had always told me that princes of the likes I'd read of in my novels didn't actually exist – that the author had made it all up because her, like ALL women in the world, wished men were chivalrous and kind like the princes in the stories. But Mother had said princes and kings in reality were the worst of all! They always had to have their way no matter what, and they had the power and authority to do whatever they pleased! They were selfish and vile…I wondered if this one trapped below me was any different…and if he actually WAS a prince at all. He might just be saying that to gain my trust, this is something I definitely had to consider before I made any decisions.

But then I took in his attire and added that as evidence to him actually being truthful. Although dirty, dishevelled and torn in certain places, what he wore was fine cloth of the likes I'd never seen before. My own clothes were simple in comparison…he also had a sword I hadn't yet had time to inspect – not that he could loosen his hand to reach for it even if his life depended on it…

My finely crafted brows knit together,the wheels in my head turned fast as he claimed he'd been chased and had only sought to take refuge here. Could it be true that he was here strictly by chance? But if that was so, how come no others over the years had come by chance? Why now…_and_ I can't forget that he'd come armed on top of that.

My eyes had faltered from his form below but when I noticed a sharp wince of pain come from him, my eyes trained back on him and softened. He was hurt…much more than I could've known before I'd knocked him unconscious…and dealt him yet _another_ blow.

Now I felt more like the monster when I knew HE was the one that was supposed to be the Beast, not I.

I hooked my hair strategically around the strong beam and at once, gracefully fell to the floor where my naked soles made hardly a sound on the wooden beams. I made sure to land in heavy shadows so still he couldn't see me. I stood right in front of him, hesitating…fearful once again as I studied him and saw the pain etched upon his features. Again I felt the sudden urge to help him…and my gut instinct told me he wasn't lying about being chased and fighting for his life. There was just something about him that made me want to trust him, whether or not that would be to my folly, I was about to find out.

"You've…been through a lot." I finally said softly as I slowly stepped out of the darkness and took careful steps towards him, while keeping a firm hold on my hair that bound him tightly to the chair…I wasn't ready to let him go…_just_ yet, not when my heart felt in might jump right out of my ribcage due to nerves and my own uncertainty of the unknown.

His eyes. I stopped in my tracks and stared almost rudely at him as I caught his hues with my starkly curious jungle green gems. So dark they were! But so full of pain as well. I could now see he was bleeding from a cut high up on his forehead that _I_ hadn't given him, and he was clearly exhausted to the point of almost passing out for the _second_ time this day. I knew his injuries and his fatigue were further proof that he'd spoken the truth about being chased. Why had he been chased almost to the point of death? THAT was the real question I didn't yet dare ask aloud.

"Caspian." I said softly, testing his name out on my own lips before moving close enough to be able to reach out and touch him if I'd wanted to. Instead all I did was lean forward and unsheathe the long sword from the scabbard about his waist. It was so heavy even I had troubles carrying it! I glanced at him and hurried away with the weapon, hiding it from him somewhere safe so he couldn't use it on me in any way, shape or form…because I knew _exactly_ what I was about to do.

"Caspian." I said more firmly now as I swiftly came back to where he'd had no choice but to sit and wait for my return, "I'm Rapunzel. But you can call me Zelle for short. You are badly hurt…and I apologize for…well," I motioned to all the hair wound about him, "But I couldn't trust that you'd just came here by chance and that you hadn't come to harm me. So truly…you're…not here for my…hair?" I glared hard at him before shaking my head and sighing, "Nevermind. I'm going to let you go…and get you sorted to rights again." I gave him a tight smile, "It's the least I owe for…well, hitting you over the head with a pottery vase."

I swooped in closer, but shot him a serious glance before releasing him at all, "But at the first sign of trouble…our truce here will be forgotten."

It took a matter of moments to unwind my hair from his form. My hair was…well, special – that was the only way to describe it. It wasn't like Mother's, or anyone else's…it really had a life of its own most times, and could do the most incredible of things…

Despite the fact that I believed he wouldn't hurt me at this point, I still took many steps back from him when finally the last strands of my hair unwound themselves from him and hastily I pulled back all my hair well away from him…in case he had some secret scissors somewhere and decided to cut my locks after all.

"You're on the verge of collapse. Go…and rest – there's a bed beyond that doorway there, it's calling your name." I pointed with a shaking hand at the doorway I was speaking of, "You will be safe here…just as long as you promise you aren't here to hurt me. Only _then_ can I promise that no further harm will come to you, a promise for a promise. But please rest assured Caspian…you _are_ safe here in my home." I held his eyes levelly with mine, "And when I promise something, I _keep_ that promise – no matter what."

And this was the true test of letting him go free. He could strike out at me right now if he wished to…or he could go get the rest he sorely needed. Truthfully if he wasn't so injured I probably wouldn't have let him go at all, but by the looks of him I didn't think he could hurt a fly now even if his life depended on it. I so badly wanted to believe he'd been telling me the truth about his intentions in coming here. I knew if he _had_ been truthful, then he really had no idea about my hair or what was so special about the sunlit uncut strands…

But perhaps he was about to find out…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_[Caspian's POV:]_

"_You've been through a lot…_"

There the voice came again. However I said nothing in response choosing to lay coward in silence just to avoid my discomforts.

"_Caspian…_" I heard my name come softly now. What a rather sweet tone when it wasn't taunting my capture. Then from the shadows the form of the woman was reveled. Her image was nowhere near elegant, but instead lovely with a charming appeal. My attention however was set on her face but she did not look at me. Instead it seemed her focus had caught on to my sword. I had managed somehow to tumble with it in my fall but everything had gone so quickly that I'd thought for sure I had lost it. She had taken from my side holder the weapon (my only weapon) removing it from its bond and I felt my head turning to lower. Noticing only after the gesture of extending my neck which would allow her enough flesh to pierce the blade down if it was so her wish, I shut my eyes. I was so weak at this point that I would have even welcomed death. Perhaps in my great escape I had actually stumbled into a trap, perhaps this girl was even working for my uncle and just making a mockery out of me before she carried out his wishes. All I had yearned for was to not save face and yield to the agonizing pain I was in, yell, shout just anything to be true to myself, but I couldn't do it.

Then something unexpected happened. I wasn't dead! My eyes shot up in an impetuous instant as her footsteps made a small creaking noise about the wood of the floor. She had taken my sword and for a moment I couldn't make out where she had disappeared until she returned. I took notice of her body movements. She was a lot more fluid then most girls I had encountered back at the castle (this could also have been due to my current presence and the situation at hand, so I would have to make note to revisit my suspicions later on). The other young women precise and proper, graceful even, cautious with their words hoping to say the right thing and not embarrass themselves (A quality I had picked up on when I would begin to engage them in conversation) but this girl stroked me as being in most ways different from what I was used to when it came to women in general, oddly enough.

"_I'm Rapunzel. But you can call me Zelle for short_" She was introducing herself to me? Then she most definitely hadn't been working for my uncle, so that suspension was disregarded entirely.

"_You are badly hurt…and I apologize…well-"_she had stopped mid way and I waited for the rest of her sentence to be spoken.

"_But I could trust you'd just came her by chance and that you hadn't come to harm me"_ that was a reasonable response but what followed was not expected by myself in the least. It almost seemed as if her sentence held some underline meaning. Her eyes told me this.

"_So truly you're not here for my hair?"_

Her hair? What a most unusual thing to ask someone…I gave her a look that must have possibly annoyed her because she shook her head and proposed that she would allow me to go free. I was relieved in that much but the next words that came caused one of my brows to rise

"_I'm going to let you go and get you sorted to rights again, It's the least I owe you for…well, hitting you over the head with a pottery vase…_" I frowned but kept quiet, it wouldn't do much to ask why she had done so, but now I knew the reason for my surging migraine. I breathed realizing having had been hit in my head it seemed quite frequently since I left the castle at my professors urgent efforts, First by the dwarf in the dark forest, and now by a girl in a tower. Perhaps my uncle didn't have to kill me. I may just as well die from brain damage alone.

It was as if a weight had been lifted and my breathing traveled in with more ease, once I was no longer bound to that chair. She had separated herself from me and I looked ahead to find her many paces away. I wouldn't blame her concern even if nothing I did from that point assured her that I would not cause her harm. In reality I would not have been able to live with myself even if it had been necessary for my own survival.

_"You're on the verge of collapse. Go rest- there's a bed beyond the door there. It's calling your name." _I smiled lightly as she continued talking, partially hearing her and partially waiting for her to finish so I could begin tending to my side. I straightened my stance as our eyes locked. _"-And when I promise something, I keep that promise-no matter what."_

I nodded trying my best to keep my features intact.

"Thank you for your kindness but I will not take the bed, the floor is a fine place my lady, especially with my injuries and soiled clothes, I don't wish to cause you anymore displeasure then I already have…"

I had made effort to push back my hair as my fingers ran over the gash just on the side oh my forehead. I winched at the sting that came but fully composed myself before I prepared to speak again which had become more a less a hard job to do. "Would you perhaps prepare a basin of water with a rag so that I may clean my wounds a little?" I asked her.

My thought was to at least get my wounds in a proper order so that I wouldn't bleed out. Travel would be much easier that way. I had begun taking steps (though small) in the direction she had pointed when…. Something had accord to me which made me forget my injury altogether.

"The rope!" I protested very loudly possibly frightening the young woman behind my view (I never did look back to see). My mind had been focused on the window and now my hands placed on the cold brick peering down. My uncle's soldiers would have found the area in which I had tumbled where this fortress lied. I had to assume as much. The tower stood high meeting the tallness of the tree's in the wood. It would be impossible for them to miss such an obvious thing. When I reached down to pull in the golden braid I had climbed upon to enter through I found nothing, "_strange_" I couldn't help thinking.

"_Where could it have gone?_" I was pondering. "_Oh right, perhaps Repunzel had pulled it up_?" That was my last thought before the pain in my stomach hit causing me to hunch over. I went to one knee groaning, fighting through the aches.

Placing my hand on my side for pressure I prepared myself to see the blood that would stain it soon enough. As my breathing increased something caught my attention on the floor. My vision had become slightly distorted but it was the color the rope had been I was certain of this, a shinning gold that seemed to twinkle in places that allowed sunlight to creep through. And that was when my thoughts flashed back to her words "_So truly you're not here for my hair…"_

I allowed my hand to roam through the golden strands, mesmerized. My gaze found its way to Repunzel, it was so long so never ending that I couldn't believe it, even after looking to her eyes for reassurance of my skepticism. Both my bondage and my liberation had been because of her hair….

Soon, my leg in which I had placed most of my weight gave out and I took to the floor to land on my side. I made effort to turning fully on my back taking a deep breath of air, the absentee of going without water for so long had finally caught up with me and I was in desperate need of it….

_[Rapunzel's POV:]_

I was utterly terrified. There was no other way to describe it…but I think I did a good job covering it up with a mask on my visage that was highly unreadable for him. At any moment I expected to be made to regret the decision made to set him free to do what he would. He'd show his true colors, his pointed teeth would come out and he'd attack! Everything Mother had ever told me about men in the past was coming back to haunt me, and every little thing I remembered her saying added to the ever building hysteria inside me until I felt I might burst and start screaming and not be able to stop.

But then I held firm to what I'd felt deep inside when our eyes had locked together. Such a gentleness rested in the depths of his dark orbs…a sort of quiet kindness resided in the tone of his voice, and for some reason I just felt I could trust him even though we'd just met.

And I had to admit, when I'd braced myself for his attack he did nothing of the sort - he simply said he couldn't use the bed at all – so _polite_…for one that was supposed to be a monster.

I had to push out of my head everything I'd ever believed to be true…and this was easier said then done. Mother had grilled into me time and again all the horrors of the world, and whenever she saw me reading a romantic novel, she'd always made a point of lecturing me about how it REALLY was out there. I had to discount everything I'd ever believed about men and just take Caspian at face value. He didn't seem intent on harming me…in fact, many minutes had gone by where he'd had his freedom and he had yet to pounce. Could it be that I could actually trust him? Maybe he truly didn't know what was so special about my golden locks after all…

"Yes of course I'll get you a basin of-" I started but was cut off by my own nerves and fear when he suddenly raced to the window; my heart was right up in my throat as he swept past me and looked out it in a panic, and suddenly I knew why. The men that had been intent on hurting him…he thought they'd follow him here. Maybe they were the beasts Mother had always talked about, and somehow this man wasn't one.

"Please…you don't have to worry-" I started, but abruptly stopped when he fell over and hit the floor in one full swoop. I gasped and raced over to him, but stopped a few feet from him when it seemed in his disoriented state he finally was noticing my hair. I could only stare at him, completely dumbfounded as he gently caressed the multitudes of strands that lay perfectly untangled near the window. He seemed to look at me for confirmation that my hair was, in fact, real. I only smiled at him falteringly before it was replaced by a look of horror when he fell over completely without another word.

"Caspian!" I raced over to him and got down on both my knees at his side. In the moment I completely forgot about my fear and my scepticism. He was badly hurt, more so than I'd realized, and I knew if I didn't do something for him, he could very well perish or at the very least, suffer permanent damage. His wounds needed to mend, and he needed some rest…I could see to both those things for him, more than he could even know – that is, if he _actually_ didn't know about my hair.

I wasn't sure why, but I desperately needed to help him in any way I could. Later on it would cross my mind that I could've just left him there, or if I were a crueller person, I could've pushed him out the window and never would I have to worry that he'd come to hurt me in some way. But that wasn't me. Not by a long shot.

I reached out and gently cupped the side of his face, pulling back in shock as I felt the coarse stubble of his four o clock shadow, but I was over that sensation in the next moment as I willed his eyes to mine, "Caspian. Focus. You need to calm down or you'll make the blood loss worse. You aren't in any danger here…those men? They won't find you. They can't find this tower. No one but you has ever found me…so rest assured that you are safe."

My eyes flicked down his body to where I noticed him holding his side tightly. Crimson was starting to stain through his clothing to his fingers…I needed to act fast.

Worry creased my brows together as my eyes darted to the sofa nearby. After I was done he could rest on it, and he'd be more comfortable there then on the floor, "Caspian I want to get you lying over there. If you can manage that, then I promise you…in less than five minutes from now you will be peacefully sleeping, no aches or pains at all to worry about any longer."

Somehow I got him moved up over to the sofa where he sprawled across it, half unconscious, half coherent – in some moments more in one state of being than the other. But maybe that was for the best…I wasn't sure how he was going to take what was about to happen next.

I pulled my hair over my shoulder and closer to him before taking his large, blood stained hand in mine. Gently I made him grasp the strands of gold before my emeralds locked to his weakened orbs, "Whatever you do…don't freak out, alright? Just relax, close your eyes…and this pain you feel now shall only be a distant memory."

I couldn't stand to see him hurting any longer. So I made sure he kept a strong hold of my hair and I closed my eyes, willing the words etched forever into my minds eye out and into the open to float about in the air around us.

"Flower, Gleam and Glow.

Let Your Power Shine…

Make The Clock Reverse,

Bring Back What Once Was Mine.

Heal What Has Been Hurt.

Change The Fate's Design…

Save What Has Been Lost,

Bring Back What Once Was Mine…

What Once Was Mine."

Slowly I opened my eyes and watched as the radiant glow that had overtaken my hair once I'd started singing began to slowly fade away with the last words of the Incantation. When I sang the Incantation, it was as if the sun itself shone through in every fibre atop my head, starting from the roots down to the very tips of every strand of hair, and the glow only dissipated when the very last word was uttered from my lips. I breathed easy as I watched the ugly gash on his head slowly fade away until all that was left was the spent blood. Every other bruise or mar on his features that I could see had disappeared completely as well. When I finally dared to look into his eyes, I let out a sigh of relief when he appeared to be completely unconscious once again…but it wasn't the troubled unconsciousness of before. He slept peacefully now with all his wounds fully healed.

I unwrapped his hand from mine and took my hair out from his dirt creased hands, standing up I hurriedly went about preparing a basin of water for him and took a couple wash cloths on my way back. I ignored the slight fatigue from the song, I was quite used to the effects of the healing process by now and I knew he needed my help more than I needed a cat nap – that was more than apparent.

Steam rose from the hot water and I found I really couldn't take my eyes off him as I dunked in the first clean cloth and quietly went about cleaning him up. I started with his hands…and then worked my cloth up both his arms. When I found myself staring I simply tried hard not to and busied myself with getting every bit of dirt off that I could, but then next was his face…and then of course I had to look where I'd found I couldn't look away from earlier.

Getting a new cloth and fresh water, I took the cloth and gently wiped away the blood from his hairline and where the wound had once been. I wiped softly at his cheeks where muddy finger-marks had created lines and dirty traces. I wiped away fine smears of blood where branches must've scratched him as he'd hastily made his way past, and slowly I worked down to his neck where his clothing then forced me to stop.

I bit my lip and looked at his broad chest, arguing in my head whether or not to disrobe his chest to clean the wound on his side, or to leave it for him to do when he woke. But it seemed silly for me to clean every part of him except that which was his most grievous wound. I sighed softly and with a tinge of pink now touching my cheeks, went about slowly working off his tunic and undershirt…they could both use a good scrub and wash anyways.

When I'd finally gotten them off and still he slept soundly, I felt so flustered and my heart thumped so wildly that I couldn't look at him at all. I hastily got up and took his shirt and things to the kitchen where I soaked them quickly then hung them to dry. But then I knew I had to go back…and finish what I started.

I found quickly that, what had started out as something embarrassing turned into something else completely as I sat back down and dared myself to fully look at his naked chest. I'd never ever seen a man before, let alone a half naked one! His entire structure was so different from my own, and this was something I'd surely known from pictures I'd seen in books, yet it was something else completely to actually see a man in reality.

I didn't let my eyes linger overly long. Dutifully I cleaned the dried blood on his side, and grimaced when I realized some had gotten onto the cushions of the sofa. My cloth worked diligently but gently across his broad chest, wiping away dirt, sweat and grime. Then a new basin of water was made with a touch of lavender and one last time I bathed him until there was no evidence of his previous injuries at all. Now with all that dirt and grime gone…I truly got to see what he looked like.

Slowly I let the cloth drop back into the water and let my eyes linger on him anew. I wouldn't have been so obvious about my curiosity had he been awake, but he couldn't know in his sleep that I was staring so. I couldn't help it, I reached forward and gently tucked back a strand of his dark hair away from his forehead, allowing my slender fingers to caress through the recently cleaned locks for a moment before ever so slowly taking my hand back to myself.

I found a blanket and covered him with it so he wouldn't be cold as the evening chill started to sift into the air about the tower. I even unlaced his boots and set them on the floor beside the sofa for when he woke. Then I waited, sitting on the tower's windowsill not too far from him, I lost myself to my troubled thoughts, humming a nonsensical tune as I stared out at nothing beyond the tower. What would happen now? He'd wake…and then what? Leave?

The thought of him leaving left very mixed feelings in me indeed…feelings I didn't quite understand. But I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he woke, and when he woke…well, then I'd know what would have to happen. I couldn't help but wonder if he might know about the lights I'd seen in my dreams…maybe he could tell me about them – maybe he could answer questions of mine that Mother never ever had.

_[Caspian's POV:]_

I closed my eyes for a second but opened them again to find Rapunzel by my side. And now she was cradling me, just like I remember my mother doing when I was young and she was still alive. I would never allow my father to see my mother display such an affection upon me, no I had to make him believe I was strong, that I didn't need such a thing, but now more than ever even though this girl had introduced herself to me a just recently I felt comfortable in her arms, like I didn't have to worry.

_"Caspian. Focus. You need to calm down or you'll make the blood loss worse" _I heard her say_. _

_"You aren't in any danger here…those men? They won't find you. They can't find this tower. No one but you has ever found me…so rest assured that you are safe." _Her words brought to me a surety. I was fighting against myself, trying not to imply my entire weight on her half embrace. She had promised me that I would be free from grieve, the trouble my injuries were causing my body if only I could make it to the bed she had offered to me just moments before. And with that in mind I used what last bit of strength I had to walk with her.

By the time she had grabbed my hand I couldn't see much, everything discontented into a cloud of strange colors. Even her words had become quite hard to understand, but as I took one more breath I closed my eyes…as a tune flooded my ears like a waterfall to a quiet stream.


End file.
